Government Faces Opposition as Public Calls for New Elections and Trust in Legal Reform
In a recent survey conducted by the Center for the Promotion of Fairness in Israel, through the Geocartography Research Institute, it has been revealed that the majority of the public believes that the government should halt the legal reform legislation and seek the people’s trust through new Knesset elections.
According to the survey, 59% of those who expressed an opinion, and 54% of all participants, believe that the government should stop the legal reform legislation and ask for the people’s trust in the reform in new elections. Additionally, 63% of opinion holders (57% of the public) propose that the government should seek the people’s trust in a referendum conducted by an independent professional body.
Furthermore, the survey indicates that 57% of those with an opinion (51% of the public) believe that the government should cease the legal reform legislation and instead convene a constituent assembly consisting of representatives from all sections of society. This assembly would be responsible for drafting a constitution that would govern the rules of government and justice.
Notably, over a third of opinion holders who voted for the Likud in the last Knesset elections share the belief that the government should halt the legal reform legislation and return to the people to obtain their trust in implementing the reform.
The survey was conducted by the Geocartography Research Institute among 1,013 respondents, who represent a cross-section of the Israeli population. The sampling error was calculated to be 3.07%. Additionally, the survey included a specific concentration of 500 Likud voters, ensuring a representative national sample.
Reacting to the survey results, Attorney Ehud Peleg, director of the Center for the Promotion of Fairness in Israel, expressed that the lack of trust in the legal reform promoted by the government stems from the fact that voters were not adequately informed or consulted about the reform during the last election campaign. As a result, the government lacks the essential authority to carry out the proposed regime change within the reform.
Peleg emphasized that any action taken by the government without the necessary authority and trust of the people is null and void. The survey results serve as a clear indication that the public does not support the government’s current approach to legal reform.
As opposition to the government’s legal reform intensifies, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the growing calls for new elections and to rebuild trust with the public.